Bombay, Our City (Anand Patwardhan, India, 1985, 75 min.)

In 1985, the documentary Bombay, Our City questioned the notion of illegal housing on public land and the unfair treatment of Mumbai’s working-class citizens who live in these areas. Almost thirty years later, issues of land use, affordable housing, sanitation, and city-beautification remain important topics for public debate. In 1985, the debate was about squatting on public lands; today, that debate has moved to freeing space for private builders.

Join us for a screening of this iconic film, followed by a discussion between the filmmakers Anand Patwardhan and Faiza Khan, moderated by Surabhi Sharma. Khan has been documenting the fresh spate of demolitions in the city for the past two years; she will present clips from her work-in-progress on these demolitions.